Star Weather Report Sun 11/19–11/26
©2023 Ronnie Pontiac
All times Pacific.
Friends, we have before us a week that begins more harmoniously than it ends. Thanksgiving may be a bit of a let down with sun square Saturn. There may be a tendency to dwell on negative thoughts and feelings. As of today we are 63 days from Pluto in Aquarius. Saturn remains in the degree of its station until 11/28, which can indicate a frustrating time when the clock seems to move slower than usual and the world can seem bleak. This quote by Celine captures the mood of Pluto in Capricorn: “To philosophize is only another way of being afraid and leads hardly anywhere but to cowardly make-believe.”
Since Pluto entered Capricorn in 2008 we’ve been experiencing a non stop spectacle of shadows, the virulence of power seekers, natural disasters, man-made crises, bigotry, ruthless politics, and the effort to turn back the clock against women, minorities, and anyone and anything that doesn’t fit how things used to be or are supposed to be according to tradition. With two significant Saturn squares this week it’s a good time to reflect back on the course of our lives since 2008. For so many of us reactions and manipulations sent us on paths that may have led us away from our true purposes. Saturn exposes the futility of ambition. Even an ego as big as that of a Trump or Putin is food for worms in this world, and that is part of the lesson souls learn here, the surrender of power and ambition, and the emptiness of most impressive achievements as new generations rise and take the reins.
Sunday 11/19 only lunar aspects are exact. As Andre Maurois wrote: “Conversation would be vastly improved by the constant use of four simple words: I do not know.”
Mon 11/20 sun sextile Pluto is exact in the early afternoon, followed by Mercury trine Chiron in the early evening. The sextile can help us make necessary repairs and reforms while they are still easy. While Saturn is the inevitability of the daily and yearly clocks, Pluto represents the inescapable cycles of generations. We tend to begin as rebels, even if we are conservatives, eager to remake the world as we want to see it. In the end we seek to protect what we’ve gained and fight those who want to take over the direction of events. Look deeply at your motivations. If still stuck in ambitions and animosities of the last 15 years the shift to Pluto in Aquarius may become more difficult for us. The trine indicates opportunities for improving health. A good time to seek healing especially through research and conversation. A good book or podcast could improve well being.
Tue 11/21 Mars sextile Pluto is exact in the late afternoon. Sextiles can be harmonious but they aren’t especially strong. This is a good aspect for taking vigorous action to make necessary changes, sacrificing the baggage of the past, and aligning our ambitions and desires with the deeper currents of reality and Self. Known for inspiring libido and ambition, this aspect could nevertheless help bring about a saner view of the various wars that are going on, including political animosities. This competitive aspect works best when we consider the needs and better qualities of others rather than attempting to demonstrate our superior strength.
Wed 11/22 sun enters Sagittarius at 6:03 AM, followed by Venus opposition Chiron exact mid-morning. Sun in Scorpio can be obsessive, but helpful when transformation is required. Sun in Sagittarius ruled by Jupiter can bring a more optimistic and diplomatic atmosphere, that feeling that Thanksgiving leads right to Christmas. The opposition is not a good omen regarding Thanksgiving, but it’s no surprise as the flu and other spreading illnesses tend to get a boost from holiday travel. Women in particular may be susceptible to illness caused by exhaustion or depression. Find the balance between having a good time and avoiding unnecessary risks. If you get sick consider not spreading it by suppressing symptoms in the name of work or play.
Thu 11/23 Thanksgiving starts with a problematic sun square Saturn after midnight. Give mom some help with family dinner. Try not to inflict depression or dire perspectives on the world at the table. Saturn gives best results when we are patient, quiet, disciplined and practical. By not engaging in the prevailing atmosphere of division and pessimism we can create space for a simple and pleasant appreciation of those we love, of all our various fellow travelers in our personal corner of the world. Affection for the familiar in the light of impermanence, and dry wit, can improve the mood. It’s all in how we focus. And as always remember that even negative aspects can have positive results (and visa versa). During the worst aspects there are people having wonderful experiences, depending on karma and indicated by transits to natal placements.
Fri 11/24 Mercury inconjunct Uranus is exact after midnight then Mars follows the sun into Sagittarius at 2:15 AM. The inconjunct can indicate health issues associated with modern modes of travel, just in time for holiday journeys. It can also indicate health problems caused by anxiety, urgency, disruptive miscommunication, and even accidents. Travel with care whether to the market or across the continent. Even careful planning may encounter delays and unexpected challenges. Go with it and you might find enlightening moments and flashes of inspiration.
Mars leaving Scorpio may indicate a less ruthless approach to war and politics, or the expansion of violence. Will Jupiter’s (ruler of Sagittarius) diplomacy and optimism bring a respite from Pluto’s (ruler of Scorpio) destructive intensity? In our own lives we may find that a sense of holiday cheer relieves the feeling of dire culmination indicated by Saturn’s continuance in the degree of its station and Pluto in Capricorn’s grand finale. Or will the deviousness of Scorpio propaganda and agendas become widely amplified in ways that complicate life? In our own lives we can try to bring civility, hospitality and cheerfulness into a world that sorely needs them.
Sat 11/25 Mars square Saturn is exact mid-morning. Usually indicative of exhaustion, frustration at limitation, and even violence in reaction to authority, this aspect could also indicate ceasefire, realizations about the limitations of war, and is ultimately meant to restore a sense of reality. In our own lives we can look for ways to adjust our efforts that reflect appreciation for the simple pleasures of life. We can learn how to refine our efforts. Practice, mentorship, humility, learning, simplifying can help us get better results and more satisfaction in life.
The following week begins with next Sunday’s Venus inconjunct Uranus, followed during the week by Mercury square Neptune, sun inconjunct Jupiter, Venus inconjunct Neptune, Venus square Pluto, and Mars inconjunct Jupiter, the last days of November 2023 and the first days of December present a challenge likely related to health. Neptune will be stationary direct Dec 5 making these Neptune aspects especially powerful, and Neptune can indicate pandemics, so we can expect a further rise in cases, as usual.
Propaganda will be flying fast and furious. Why engage? Meditation, mystical practices, compassion, charity are better applications of Neptune’s potential than rabbit holes and speculation without hope of proof. A good week to be a little extra careful when it comes to risk, and to get extra rest. Mercury retrograde arrives December 12 and lasts through the rest of the year making Christmas and New Year’s Eve and Day more problematic than usual. Careful planning and mindfulness can help us avoid some problems. Once we get past that we have only weeks of Pluto in Capricorn left (except for ten weeks around the 2024 election). Why not take time for rest and reflection as Pluto in Capricorn winds up? Another quote that captures the flavor of this Saturnian Pluto placement, by Stendhal: “This is the curse of our age, even the strangest aberrations are no cure for boredom.”
